The South Island Championship took place in Christchurch last month attracting 31 players. The critical result occurred in round 5 when top seed and defending champion FM Stephen Lukey of Christchurch lost on time in a drawn ending against second seed FM Mark Noble of Feilding. Noble was content to protect the lead over the remaining rounds, to finish first equal with CM Edward Rains of Christchurch on 6½/8, with Lukey third on 6 points. Rains (21) had started with a loss, but came through the field with a string of wins to catch Noble. As the highest placed South Islander he becomes South Island Champion for 2015, taking home the trophy for the first time.
Today's game from the fourth round features Rains with White against Geoff Davies of Christchurch.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4
The Scotch Gambit is rarely seen at the grandmaster level these days as the Black methods for defence have been worked out. At the amateur level it is still a dangerous weapon. 4... Nf6 5.e5 d5 6.Bb5 Ne4 7.Nxd4 Bd7 8.Bxc6 bxc6 9.O-O Be7
The players have been following the most popular line. Here Black has several alternatives: 9... Bc5, 9... c5, 9... Qh4 and even 9... Rb8. 10.f3 Nc5 11.f4 Ne4 12.Nc3!?
White accepts doubled pawns to exchange off the central black knight. The pawn on c3 strengthens his grip on d4 compared to 12.Nd2, while after 12.f5 Bc5 White's advanced pawns are too weak. 12... Nxc3 13.bxc3 O-O 14.Be3!?
Black's castling (instead of 13... c5) committed the king, which White could have tried to exploit with the immediate 14.f5 c5 15.f6! cxd4 (15... gxf6? 16.Nf5 Bxf5 17.Rxf5 with a strong attack) 16.fxe7 Qxe7 17.cxd4, with a small plus. White's move aims to secure the central dark squares. 14... c5 15.Nb3 c4 16.Nc5 Bc6?!
Taking the bishop off the key diagonal. After 16... Bf5! the pawn storm is not to be feared: 17.g4?! Bc8 18.f5 Re8 with awkward pressure against the White e5 pawn, while the g4 pawn only gets in the way of White's attack. Now White's queen gets free access to the kingside. 17.f5! Re8 18.Qg4 Bf8 19.e6 f6 20.Bd4 Qe7 21.Rf3 Reb8 22.Rh3 Rb5 23.Qh5 h6 24.Na6 Be8 25.Qg4 Kh7 26.Qh4?
White's knight is in a precarious position, and needed to be rescued immediately by 26.a4 Ra5 27.Nb4 as in the game. 26... Rc8?
Black misses his chance to round up the knight 26... c5! 27.Nc5 Rxc5 28.Bxc5 Qxc5+ 29.Kh1 Rb8 when the two bishops will be very strong against White's weak pawns. 27.a4 Ra5 28.Nb4 Qd8
Not 28... c5? 29.Nxd5 Qb7 30.Nxf6+! gxf6 31.Bxf6 with a winning attack. White finds the best way to meet the threatened pawn fork. 29.Re1! c5 30.e7 Bxe7 31.Nxd5 Qxd5 32.Rxe7 h5??
Overlooking the threat of mate after a prolonged defence. Black is still very much in the game after 32... Bf7 33.Bxf6! Ra6! when White appears to lack any immediate breakthrough, though 34.Re5! Qd1+ 35.Re1 Qxc2 35.Be5 maintains the attack with even chances. 33.Rxg7+! Resigns
Rains wins first South Island title
Problem: White to play and mate in 2.
The South Island Championship took place in Christchurch last month attracting 31 players. The critical result occurred in round 5 when top seed and defending champion FM Stephen Lukey of Christchurch lost on time in a drawn ending against second seed FM Mark Noble of Feilding. Noble was content to protect the lead over the remaining rounds, to finish first equal with CM Edward Rains of Christchurch on 6½/8, with Lukey third on 6 points. Rains (21) had started with a loss, but came through the field with a string of wins to catch Noble. As the highest placed South Islander he becomes South Island Champion for 2015, taking home the trophy for the first time.
Today's game from the fourth round features Rains with White against Geoff Davies of Christchurch.
1.e4 e5
2.Nf3 Nc6
3.d4 exd4
4.Bc4
The Scotch Gambit is rarely seen at the grandmaster level these days as the Black methods for defence have been worked out. At the amateur level it is still a dangerous weapon.
4... Nf6
5.e5 d5
6.Bb5 Ne4
7.Nxd4 Bd7
8.Bxc6 bxc6
9.O-O Be7
The players have been following the most popular line. Here Black has several alternatives: 9... Bc5, 9... c5, 9... Qh4 and even 9... Rb8.
10.f3 Nc5
11.f4 Ne4
12.Nc3!?
White accepts doubled pawns to exchange off the central black knight. The pawn on c3 strengthens his grip on d4 compared to 12.Nd2, while after 12.f5 Bc5 White's advanced pawns are too weak.
12... Nxc3
13.bxc3 O-O
14.Be3!?
Black's castling (instead of 13... c5) committed the king, which White could have tried to exploit with the immediate 14.f5 c5 15.f6! cxd4 (15... gxf6? 16.Nf5 Bxf5 17.Rxf5 with a strong attack) 16.fxe7 Qxe7 17.cxd4, with a small plus. White's move aims to secure the central dark squares.
14... c5
15.Nb3 c4
16.Nc5 Bc6?!
Taking the bishop off the key diagonal. After 16... Bf5! the pawn storm is not to be feared: 17.g4?! Bc8 18.f5 Re8 with awkward pressure against the White e5 pawn, while the g4 pawn only gets in the way of White's attack. Now White's queen gets free access to the kingside.
17.f5! Re8
18.Qg4 Bf8
19.e6 f6
20.Bd4 Qe7
21.Rf3 Reb8
22.Rh3 Rb5
23.Qh5 h6
24.Na6 Be8
25.Qg4 Kh7
26.Qh4?
White's knight is in a precarious position, and needed to be rescued immediately by 26.a4 Ra5 27.Nb4 as in the game.
26... Rc8?
Black misses his chance to round up the knight 26... c5! 27.Nc5 Rxc5 28.Bxc5 Qxc5+ 29.Kh1 Rb8 when the two bishops will be very strong against White's weak pawns.
27.a4 Ra5
28.Nb4 Qd8
Not 28... c5? 29.Nxd5 Qb7 30.Nxf6+! gxf6 31.Bxf6 with a winning attack. White finds the best way to meet the threatened pawn fork.
29.Re1! c5
30.e7 Bxe7
31.Nxd5 Qxd5
32.Rxe7 h5??
Overlooking the threat of mate after a prolonged defence. Black is still very much in the game after 32... Bf7 33.Bxf6! Ra6! when White appears to lack any immediate breakthrough, though 34.Re5! Qd1+ 35.Re1 Qxc2 35.Be5 maintains the attack with even chances.
33.Rxg7+! Resigns
1-0
Solution: 1.Qxc6+! Qxc6 (1... Nd6 2.Qxd6#) 2.Re7#